


An Unexpected Piece

by Evening12



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/F, Femslash, HP Femslash MiniFest, POV Hermione Granger, Slice of Life, puzzle maker!Hermione
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-20
Updated: 2019-01-20
Packaged: 2019-10-13 12:00:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 855
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17487674
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Evening12/pseuds/Evening12
Summary: Hermione was quite content with her tea and her puzzles until Padma changed it all.





	An Unexpected Piece

**Author's Note:**

> I'm really late to this party but this is my submission to [@hp femslash minifest](https://hpfemslash-minifest.tumblr.com/)'s November prompt of Unusual Careers. Thank for so much for creating more space for HP femslash fanwork <3 
> 
> The idea of Hermione being a puzzle maker came from a movie I saw last fall called Puzzle. I highly recommend it. 
> 
> All the thanks to @keyflight790

Her kitchen table had become her work table. With its overhead lamps and open space, the kitchen was the perfect place to spread around her work. As a bonus, it had an unlimited supply of tea. 

It might have been unconventional, but this was Hermione’s workplace. It had come about slowly. One day at a time, things started to gather and pile up and soon enough Hermione’s kitchen had been filled with puzzles. Of the five cupboards in Hermione kitchen, three of them were filled with puzzles. 

Hermione hadn’t expected to make a living from competitive puzzle making. She hadn’t even known that competitive puzzling making existed. Many things in Hermione’s life weren’t as expected. She hadn’t expected magic to come into her life. She hadn’t expected to go to a boarding school. Or make the best of friends. Or to fight in the War. She also hadn’t expected to have a girlfriend. 

Padma had been a pleasant surprise. She’d let herself into Hermione’s flat one day. She’d knocked and called out but Hermione hadn’t answered. 

Puzzle pieces were spread around the table; blue pieces on the right, and green ones on the left. Hermione had walked around the tables a few times, taking a few breaths before she sat down. She needed to beat her personal best if she was to make the Regionals. 

Each piece Hermione held seemed to find it’s home among the others.One by one, the scattered pieces had started to shape and form a forest. This was it, she had been beating her record, until she had heard someone clearing their throat and her hands stopped their movement. 

In the middle of her kitchen stood Padma Patil. “What are you doing here?” Hermione had huffed and leaned back against her chair. 

“I announced myself. It’s not my fault that you don’t lock your door. Honestly, what if I had been a robber?” Padma had traced the edge of the puzzle with her finger. “Tea. I’m in need of tea.”

“There’s a shop around the corner for those sorts of things.” She’d have to start all over again. And she had been so close to her personal best. 

“I’m aware. I ran out and with my Healer examination coming up, I don’t have the time to go to the store. I have 3 papers due, and 5 books to read. Oh, I have to tutor some 3rd year in arithmancy so I can pay my rent. And I don’t even know the last time that I’ve showered. So, yes, while there is a shop around the corner, I’m asking you if I can borrow some tea. What’s the point of neighbours if not to borrow tea in times of need.” 

Hermione had grabbed her wand from her pocket, and with a wave had opened the cabinet beside the stove. An assortment of carefully organized teas laid out on three shelves. “Help yourself.” With another wave of her hand, Hermione had undone her puzzle. “Close the door on your way out.” 

Five days later, Padma had come back. This time Hermione had finished her puzzle before Padma gently knocked on the table. “To replace what I took.” Padma held a light blue tea tin. “Nothing fancy, it’s only lemon and ginger.” 

“Thank you. People generally knock on the front door.”

“And people generally answer their front door. But you don’t seem to do what people generally do, Hermione.” Padma had smiled. “I still have some studying. I’ll leave you to your puzzles.” 

A routine of borrowing and replacing tea had taken root. Padma would come in, borrow tea and every so often she would replace the borrowed tea, a few words and a few smiled were exchanged. 

Padma had sat across from Hermione, a cup of tea in her hands. Without Hermione noticing, Padma had started to quietly drink a cup of tea while Hermione finished her puzzle. “Why puzzles? 

“I was always good with numbers.” Hermine placed the last piece of the puzzle. “Patterns. Shapes. I picked up a puzzle after the War and that was it. Why the question?” 

“Maybe because I’m a Ravenclaw. Or maybe because that’s how you get to know someone.” Padma took a sip of her tea. 

“After the War...well you were there. All these things needed to be done. So many things. Trials and speeches to give. Finishing school. Funerals.” Hermione toyed with a puzzle piece. “So many funerals. My mind kept racing, and I didn’t really know where it was going. But puzzles are easy. There’s a beginning and an end. I can focus on that and everything else quiets down.”

Padma had reached over and held Hermione’s hand. Her hands had been dry from all the hand washing from the Hospital, but they had been warm. “How about we continue this over some curry. There’s a little place down the street that makes the best curry I’ve ever had. Except for my mum’s, of course.” 

Hermione hadn’t expected that an unlocked door and some tea would be what led Padma into her life, but she would always be glad for it.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm always up for talking about Harry Potter and femslash! Find me on Tumblr [@evening12](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/evening12)


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